Device for carrying golf clubs



Aug. 30, 1955 D. w. DUFFY 2,716,432

DEVICE FOR CARRYING (ROLF CLUBS Filed Sept. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

DAN W. DUFFY ATTORNEY Aug. 30, 1955 D. w. DUFFY DEVICE FOR CARRYING GOLF CLUBS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1954 INVENTOR. DAN W. DUFFY M United States Patent DEVICE FOR CARRYING GOLF CLUBS Dan W. .Dulfy, Cleveland, Ohio Application September 24, 1954, Serial No. 458,072 11 Claims. cl. 1s0-'1.s

My invention relates to a device for carrying golf clubs and more particularly toa device of this type .in which the clubs may be maintained in an upright bracing position relative to each other when the device is at rest so that the golfer may select the desired club for play and return it to a position in the device without bending or stooping, and is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 429,790 filed by me on May 14, 1954, now abandoned.

At the present time, it is somewhat ditficu'lt to obtain caddies at golf courses and this is particularly true on those days in which school is in session. It is therefore frequently necessary foreach player to carry his own bag. When a golfer carries his own-bag, each time he plays he removes the desired club from the bag, lays the bag 'on the ground, makes his shot, and then stoops overand picks up the bag and inserts the club in place. It is therefore necessary for the player to steep and pick up the bag after each shot. The bags which are utilized at the present time are also comparatively heavy and the carrying of a heavy bag by the player detracts to a considerable extent from the pleasure which is :to be derived from playing the game.

it is the aim of the present invention to provide a device for carrying golf clubs which may be placed in the usual bag when a caddy is available and which may be utilized without the bag by the golfer when no caddy is present, :and is characterized by the fact that it does not require the usual bending or stooping of the player to remove and reinsert the desired club after each shot. My improved device may be constructed at a comparatively low cost, is light in Weight, and is provided with a strap by means of which it may be easily carried upon one shoulder of the player. The device is so designed that when a golfer desires ;:to make a shot, a -rod constituting one of the principal parts of the device is pressed into the ground at which time the shafts of the clubs may be spread apart to form braces for the rod and -foreach other, and from which device any one of the clubs may be easily removed to make the desired play. After play is made, the club is reinserted in place, the rod is removed from the ground, and the device may then be carried by means of a strap arranged over the shoulder of the player. At this time the :shafts of the clubs assume a position parallel to the rod and in accordance with the present invention, meansassociated with the rod and the strap are provided to maintain the clubs in a compact position while they are being carried which means is releasable to permit the clubs to be spread apart .to form a brace for the rod and for each other when the player desires to make another shot.

It .is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for carrying golf clubs which is comparatively light in weight and by means of which the clubs may be carried upon the shoulder of the golfer.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device for carrying golf clubs including a rod having .apointed end which is adapted to be pressed into the ground and from which the shafts of the clubs maybe 2,716,432 Patented Aug. 30, 1955 2 spread to provide braces for each other to maintain the clubs and the rod in inclined positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide an :improved device for carrying golf clubs in which means including a rod, the lower end of which is adapted to be pressedinto the ground, is provided from which the shafts of the clubs may'be inclined to provide braces for the rod and for each other when the device is at rest .andin which means associated with the rod and the strap .are provided for maintaining the shafts of the clubs adjacent the red when the device is being carried.

My invention will 'be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of my device showing a plurality of clubs arranged in compact relation to each other in the device in a position to be carriedbya golfer;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device taken on aplane passing through the line '22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of thearrows;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a clamp that maybe utilized in my improved device as seen from a plane passing through the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,; I

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on. a plane passing through the line 44 of Fig. 3, looking in the di.rection of the arrows and showing the clamp in closed position;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of my improved device with the shafts of the clubs arranged in bracing relation relative to each other and to the supporting rod;

'Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a modification of the device showing the clubs in place and improved means associated with the rod and strap for maintaining-the clubs adjacent the supporting rod while the clubs are being car-. ried;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 6 but showing the clubs spaced apart from each other and from the rod to provide braces for each other and for the rod;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of a portion of the supporting-rod showing "means secured to the rod and associated with a portion of the strap for maintaining the clubs in aposition adjacent the rod while the clubs are being carried; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the device as seen from a plane passing through the 'line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

In its broader aspect, the present invention comprises a .rod having a loop at one end extending substantially at right angles to the rod through which the shafts of the clubs may be inserted and a pointed portion at its opposite end for insertion in the ground and in which the rod is of such length that the lower ends of the clubs when spaced apart will engage the ground to provide braces for each other and for the rod. In accordance with the invention, a shoulderstrap is also provided for carrying the device and means associated with the shoulder strap and the rod are provided for maintaining the rod and clubs in compact relation while the device is being carried.

While my improved device may assume various forms, as illustrated in Figs. '1 to 5 of the drawing, the device includes a rod 1, a strap 2, and .a clamping device 3. The rod 1, which constitutes one of the important fea-. tur'es of the present invention, is bent in the form of a loop 4, a portion of which is welded or otherwise secured to rod 1 at a point designated by the numeral .5. Rod 1 is also provided with a second small loop '6, one end of which .is secured to the red at the point designated by the numeral 7. The loop 4 is shaped to receive the shafts of the clubs and to prevent the heads of the clubs from .passing through the loop and this is especially true when four or more of the clubs are in place, and while it may be of any 'suitable shape for such purpose, as shown, it is substanat its upper end tially in the form of a heart. The loop 6 which preferably extends in a direction opposite to loop 4 is shaped to receive the hook of a fastener 8 provided with a spring arm 8a and to the opposite end of which is secured a ring 9 through which one end of strap 2 extends.

The opposite end of rod 1 is provided with an arm 10 which is preferably arranged at an obtuse angle to rod 1 and which terminates in a downwardly extending prong 11 that is arranged at substantially right angles to arm 10 and which is adapted to be pressed into the ground as shown in Fig. 5 when the foot of the player is applied to arm 10. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5, it will be noted that the rod 1 is arranged at an inclined position to arm 10 and that the shafts of the clubs may be inclined in such positions relative to each other and to rod 1 that rod 1 and the shafts of the clubs form braces for each other. It will of course be understood that the rod is of such length that the lower end of each golf shaft will touch the ground when the lower end portion of the rod is embedded in place. The portion of the rod 1 above arm 10 may, for instance, be of substantially the same length as the shortest golf club. When the device and the clubs are arranged in the positions shown in Fig. 5, it is apparent that the golfer may grasp the head of the desired club and pull it from the loop 4 without disturbing the upright position of the device or the other clubs and after play is made, the club may be reinserted in place by the player without bending or stooping.

The player then pulls rod 1 from the ground and places the strap 2 over his shoulder at which time the shafts of the clubs will assume a position along side of rod 1 as shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

To prevent the shafts of the clubs from spreading apart while they are being carried, means associated with the strap and the rod, such as a clamp 3,. is provided as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The clamp comprises a pair of jaws 12 and 13 which are pivotally connected together at their inner ends and terminate in handles 14 and 15, respectively. While any suitable means may be provided to pivotally connect the inner ends of jaws 12 and 13 together, as shown, jaw 12 is provided at its inner end with spaced arms 16 and 17 which are arranged adjacent arms 18 and 19, respectively, extending from the inner end of jaw 13. The arms are provided with aligned apertures through which a pivot pin 20 extends, the opposite ends of which may be peened over as shown more particularly in Fig. 4 and means are provided to normally maintain the outer ends of jaws 12 and 13 in their closed positions. For this purpose, resilient means, such as a spring 21, is provided, the central portion of which is wound around pin 29 and one end of which engages handle 14 and the other end of which engages handle 15 as shown more particularly in Fig. 3..

The jaws 12 and 13 normally surrounds the rod 1 and when pressure is applied to the handles, the jaws are moved to open position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 at which time, the shafts of the clubs may be arranged within the jaws in parallel relation to rod 1.

To enable the handles to be readily grasped by the player, one end of strap 2 is fastened to the outer end of one of the handles. While any suitable fastening means may be provided, as illustrated, one or more rivets 22 are provided which extend through the strap and one of the handles, and the inner ends of which rivets are peened against the inner face of the arm through which it extends. As shown, the strap is secured to handle 15. By providing this arrangement, it will be seen that the player may utilize the lower end of the strap to locate the handle 15 with the palm of his hand while the strap is still arranged over his right shoulder. He may then extend his fingers to grasp handle 14 to actuate the clamp to open jaws 12 and on the outer portion 26 of the strap to decrease the effective length of the strap and in the opposite direcii then it. l tn tl'i r form of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 of the drawings and comprises a rod 27, one end of which terminates in a loop 28 for receiving the shafts of the clubs. Loop 28 is so shaped that the heads of the clubs will not pass through the loop and this is particularly true when four or more clubs are present. As shown, it is substantially in the form 0 a heart. To enable the opposite end of the rod to be readily pressed into the ground, it is provided with an, outwardly extending arm 29 which 15 prererably arranged at an obtuse angle to the main portion of the rod and terminates in a pointed end portion or prong 30 arranged at substantially right angles to arm 29.

In accordance with the invention, an ad ustable supporting strap designated generally by the numeral 31 is provided which is of sufiicient length to be arranged over the shoulder of the player and which may be connected in any desirable manner to spaced po nts on the rod. As shown, the upper end of the rod is provided with a loop 32 which extends in a direction oppos te to loop 28 and while the loop 32 maybe of any desirable shape, as shown, it is substantially in the form of an I to receive and maintain the upper end of the strap in a substantially fiat position. One end of strap 31 may be secured to the I-shaped loop in any suitable manner. As shown, a portion of the strap is extended through the I-shaped loop and is then turned rearwardly into engagement with the portion 33 of the strap ad acent thereto to which it may be secured by suitable means, such as a rivet 34.

To enable the clubs to be properly balanced when the strap is placed over one of the shoulders of the player,

is substantially midway between the center of the rod and the arm 29 in any suitable manner. As shown, the lower end of the strap is looped tightly around the rod 27 and is secured thereto by suitable means, such as one or more rivets 35.

As illustrated, the strap 31 is of sufficient length to fit over the shoulder of a comparatively tall man. It

may, however, be adjusted to fit over the shoulder of a person of normal size. For this purpose, the portion 33 of the strap is secured to the central cross piece 37 of a buckle 38 as shown more particularly in Fig. 9 by suitable means, such as a rivet 39, and the free end of a strap 31 is also passed through the buckle and is ad ustable therein. 9

As shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, when the player desires to make a shot, he applies his foot to arm 29 of .2 rod 27 to force prong 30 into the ground and the lower ground and the shafts of the clubs are spread apart, the

shafts of the clubs form braces for each other and for rod 27. The player may then select the desired club and after play is made, the club is returned to its proper position with the end of the shaft extending'ihrough the loop 28. The rod 27 is then pulled from the ground and means associated with the rod and the strap is provided for maintaining the clubs in .compact relation to each other :and rod 27 so that they maybe readily (carried by the player. For this purpose, a keeper 40 .is provided and while the keeper may be .of :any suitable form and shape, as shown, it consists of a short rod :having its upper end portion '41 secured to rod 27 by suitable means, Such .as welding, a portion 42 inclined outwardly from rod 27, and :a portion 43 extending substantially parallel to the rod 27 which :is flared outwardly at its lower end portion to receive the lower portion of the strap which may bellooped around the clubs to maintainthemin compact relation to each other and to rod 27. 'It will be noted that the keeper 40 not only prevents the portion of the strap which is fixed to the lower portion of rod 27 from sliding but it also serves to provide an opening for that portion of the strap which is looped around the clubs. The weight of the device and the clubs therefore serve to maintain the shafts of the clubs in compact relation with each other and with the .rod while the clubs are'being carried.

What I claim is:

1. A device for carrying golf clubs comprising a rod having an upper loop through which the shafts of a plurality of golf clubs may be inserted and :a lower :portion provided with a prong adapted to be forced into the ground, and means for carrying said device with the golf clubs in place including a strap having one portion secured to a portion of said rod adjacent said loop and means associated with said rod and another portion of said strap for maintaining said clubs in compact relation to each other and to said rod while the device and the clubs are being carried.

2. A device for carrying golf clubs comprising a rod having an upper loop through which the shafts of golf clubs may be inserted, a lower portion provided with an arm arranged at an angle to the rod and said arm having a prong extending therefrom which is adapted to be pressed into the ground, and that portion of the rod above said arm being of substantially the same length as the shortest golf club that is to be carried so that when the prong of said arm is pressed into the ground and the shafts of the golf clubs are spaced apart, said rod and the shafts of the golf clubs will form braces for each other, and means for carrying said device with the golf clubs in place including a strap having one portion secured to said rod adjacent said loop, and means associated with said rod and another portion of said strap for maintaining the shafts of said clubs and said rod in compact relation to each other while the device is being carried.

3. A device for carrying golf clubs comprising a rod having an upper loop through which the shafts of a plu-' rality of golf clubs may be inserted and a lower portion provided with a prong which is adapted to be inserted in the ground, said rod being of such length that when inserted in the ground, the shafts of the clubs may be spread apart to provide braces for each other and said rod, and means for carrying said device comprising a strap having one end secured to said rod adjacent said loop, and means associated with said rod and a second portion of said strap for maintaining the shafts of the clubs and said rod in compact relation relative to each other while the device and the clubs are being carried.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 in which the means for maintaining the shafts of the clubs and the rod in compact relation relative to each other consists of clamping means secured to the second portion of said strap and having jaws surrounding said rod and the shafts of said clubs while the device is being carried, and said jaws being movable from a closed to an open position to 6 permit (the-shafts of the clubs to :be spread to fform bracing means for said rod and each other when the pointed 'end of the rod is pressed into the ground.

'5. A device as defined in'claim 3 :in which the means for maintaining the shafts of the clubs and the rod in compact relation relative to each other consistsxo'f clamping means secured to the second portion :of said strap adjacent its free end and having jaws .surrounding said rod :and the :shafts of the clubs while :the clubs are being carried, resilient means for normally maintaining the :jaws of said clamping means in closed position and said clamping means being provided with handles for moving the :jaws to .open gpositionmgainst the force of .said resilient means-topermit the shafts of the clubs 10 be spaced apart to form bracing means for said rod and, eachother when "the pointed end=of the rod is pressed into the ground. I

'6. A device as .definediniclaim 3 in which the means for maintaining the shaftsof the clubs and the rod in compact relation relative to each other consists of clamping means provided with handles and jaws and the free end of the second portion of said strap is so cured to one of the handles of the clamping means .so that the handle secured to the strap may be engaged by the hand of the golfer in its movement over 'the strap, resilient means for-maintaining said jaws in closed position .and said jaws being movable to open position against the force of said resilient means when pressure :is applied to said handles by the palm and fingers :of one hand to permit the shafts of the clubs to be moved outwardly from said rod to form braces for supporting said rod and each other.

7. A device for carrying golf clubs comprising a rod provided with an upper loop through which the shafts of a plurality of clubs may be inserted, a lower pointed end portion which may be inserted in the ground, and akeeper secured to said rod intermediate said loop and the pointed end portion of the rod, and means for carrying said device and said clubs including a strap secured to said rod adjacent said loop and another portion secured to the rod adjacent said keeper and said keeper having a portion spaced from said rod so that when a portion of said strap is wrapped around said clubs and inserted in the space between said rod and keeper, it will maintain said clubs in compact relation relative to each other while the device and the clubs are being carried and the release of said strap from said keeper will release said clubs so that they may be spread apart to form braces for each other and for said rod when the pointed end of said rod is pressed into the ground.

8. A device for carrying golf clubs comprising a main rod provided with an upper loop through which the shafts of a plurality of golf clubs may be inserted, a second loop arranged adjacent said upper loop, a lower portion for insertion in the ground, and a keeper consisting of a second rod secured to the main rod and having a portion spaced outwardly therefrom, and means for carrying said device and said clubs including a strap having one end secured to the second loop of said rod and a second end portion secured to the rod at a position beneath said keeper and inwardly-of the outwardly spaced portion of said keeper so that when a portion of said strap is wrapped around said clubs and inserted in the space between said rod and said keeper, it will maintain said clubs in compact relation with each other while the device and the clubs are being carried and the release of said strap from said keeper will release said clubs so that they may be spread apart to form braces for each other and for said rod when the pointed end of said rod is pressed into the ground.

9. A device as defined in claim 8 in which the keeper is arranged between the middle portion of the main rod and its pointed end so that the device and the clubs will be maintained in a balanced state while they are being carried.-

10. A device for carrying golf clubs comprising a rod having an upper loop including an arcuate-shaped portion and sides which converge from the arcuateshaped portion to form a substantially enclosed loop, said loop being arranged at substantially right angles to said rod and being of such size that the space enclosed thereby will permit the shafts of a plurality of golf clubs to pass through the loop and to be spread apart after passing through the loop but which is of a size insuflicient to permit the heads of the golf clubs from passing through the loop, and said rod having a lower portion provided with a prong adapted to be pressed into the ground and the portion of said rod which extends above the ground being of substantially the same length as the shortest golf club which is to be inserted through said loop so that when the prong of said rod is pressed into the ground and the shafts of the clubs are spread apart, they will form braces for each other, and means associated with the rod adjacent the loop and at a portion spaced from the loop for carrying said rod and said golf clubs and for maintaining the golf clubs in compact relation to each other and to said rod while they are being carried.

11. A device for carrying golf clubs comprising a rod having an upper loop including an arcuate-shaped portion and sides which converge from the arcuateshaped portion to form a substantially enclosed loop, said loop being arranged at substantially right angles to said rod and being of such size that the space enclosed thereby will permit the shafts of a plurality of golf clubs to pass through the loop but which is of a size insuflicient to permit the heads of the golf clubs from passing through the loop, and said rod having a lower portion. provided with an arm arranged at an obtuse angle to the rod which arm terminates in a prong adapted to be pressed into the ground and the portion of said rod which extends above the ground being of substantially the same length as the shortest golf club which is to be inserted through said loop so that when the prong of said rod is pressed into the ground and the shafts of the clubs are spread apart, they will form braces for each other, and means associated with the rod adjacent the loop and at a portion spaced from the loop for carrying said rod and said golf clubs and for maintaining the golf clubs in compact relation to each other and to said rod while they are being carried.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Klum et a1 Dec. 4, 1951 

